BrickHeadz Building Competition
Posted by Huw,
Today we are launching our summer building competition: Build a pair of BrickHeadz!
We want you to build a pair of BrickHeadz, it's a simple as that! Choose two characters from a film, TV show, book, real life or whatever, and build them in BrickHeadz style.
Laurel and Hardy, Homer and Marge, Jaime and Cersei Lannister, Rick and Morty, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, President Trump and... well, you get the idea.
Simply create your models, which should adhere to the BrickHeadz standard, then upload images to Flickr or Instagram.
We strongly encourage you to build your submissions with real bricks, but for the first time we will allow entries created in LDD, stud.io or similar, so there's no excuse for not entering.
Read all the rules, find out who's judging and what the prizes are after the break.
(Picture of Boba Fett and Han Solo by CM4Sci on Flickr)
Judges
We'll be announcing the judges soon.
Prizes
We have a large prize pool of The LEGO Batman Movie sets and we are hoping to be able to secure a 'money can't buy' prize for the overall winner.
Physical builds and digital builds will be judged separately and there will be prizes awarded in both categories.
We'll provide more information when we can, but suffice to say now that the prizes are worth winning!
Entries will be judged on the following criteria
- Adherence to the established BrickHeadz standard and style. However, just like LEGO designers, you are permitted to 'bend the rules' if your character design requires it.
- Likeness to the subject
- Building techniques
- Originality
How to enter
- Upload a maximum of four images of your entry, displaying each BrickHeadz individually as well as group shots from the front and back, to the Brickset Flickr group set up for this competition, or post your entry on Instagram using the hashtag #BricksetBrickHeadzCompetition.
- Your models should be new and unseen prior to this competition. Significantly updated models are permitted.
- You may submit multiple entries in one or both categories.
- Virtual creations in LDD, stud.io or other CAD program ARE permitted. You may use parts in colours that don't exist yet.
Small print
- Please do not include any references to sex, drugs, alcohol etc. in your entry.
- Custom and non-LEGO components are not permitted.
- Although we will not be judging your photographic skills, please try to light your models evenly and photograph them against a clean background, or render them at the highest quality you can.
- Please upload your entries by 23:59 GMT+1 on the 31st of August.
- To give the judges time to properly consider all entries, winners will be announced by the end of September.
- The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.
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91 comments on this article
Nice competition... shame my Twin Peaks brick heads have already been seen... but guess it gives me another reason to get back into Brickheadz building mode
I don't have a brickhead so I won't have the body's but I have pieces to build a brick heads body tho so will I able to enter?
Great to be able to build in CAD now!
The fact that digital models are allowed is really nice! I do wonder; do the digital models need to use only existing part/color combinations or not? Cause I know that a lot of brickheadz designed by other members prior to this contest used a lot of non-existing colors. Which was a bit of a bummer when I wanted to make a few with real bricks.
Hmm, might enter if I can get my hands on 2 Brickheadz.
Can you make accessories for the brick heads to increase your score , and I have an idea for the prize. You could send the pieces to create the brick-heads he or she came up with.
I imagine (and hope) digital builds have to use pieces in colors that are available in real life? I don't have the extra money to enter physically this time around, so I'm glad you're allowing digital entries. In larger contests like the star wars one it wouldn't really have worked out, but in contests like this it really makes sense to allow them.
It'd be cool to have a random winner chosen out of all entries, to encourage more people to enter.
@TheLegoFan You can build your entries with LDD or stud.io as an alternative.
11th doctor and Amy Pond or 11th doctor and Clara Oswald or Rory and Amy, hard to decide...
It's going to be hard to find something that hasn't been done before
I'm so I have some Brickhead builds I did already but they are on two different pictures so do they have to be both on the same picture to enter or can I enter two pics
I've added my Red Dwarf Brickheadz, in various duos. Plus a few group shots, not competition submissions.
Wow, a little late with this competition, guys. But I think it'll still do just fine.
Is it only one pair of Brickheadz per person or can you enter multiples?
Why does nobody read to the end of the post ;)
I don't have Flickr or Instagram and I have a million Brickheadz I wanna share. :(
Didn't expect digital models to be allowed! Guess I should cancel that B&P order... but YES!! Finally happening, woo.
@ Trigger_ make one! They're super easy, just need a Yahoo email account. Don't need to use it
If it's a digital model are we allowed to use discontinued colors like Bright Bluish Green?
Huw, do you know if we can do original creations? (Like original characters)
Do these have to be completely new designs for the competition or can we use ones we've designed previously?
Just a suggestion, and I'm heavily biased, but I'd appreciate having separate awards for digital and physical entries. Being limited to parts that actually exist and are on hand is a significant constraint. I love the digital designs as much as anyone, but it's a different product and skill set, and it has multiple advantages over the real thing.
@Huw, I did, it still doesn't answer my question as far as I understand it... :\
Hmm... I'm thinking Alain Prost vs Ayrton Senna. Maybe Parker and Lady Penelope. Possibly Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect. Naturally give Arthur a cup of tea (no matter how hard it is to find in space!) P.S. does Zaphod Beeblebrox count as one or two? On account of his two heads and three arms, meaning he'd have to be as big as two.
I haven't had much luck in these contests but let's see if we can change it.
@TheLegoMaster35 thx
@Elias I think it's okay to do your own take on characters someone else has done, but since the template is quite basic, so there's certainly a risk of being too derivative. My guess is originality will win the day, either through brand new characters or innovative designs and building techniques.
I built a few Brickheadz and posted a single photo of them to my Facebook account; Would they still be eligible to enter since they weren't shared on a large scale?
Awesome! This is finally announced :)
I'll be entering a few of my duos, like my Flash ones, Pokémon ones, etc.
Yay! I'm so excited :D
What about updated models? Example, if I found a better way to build Han Solo or something than the one in the article?
Great!! And even better for accepting LDD! I wish I could use the Brickheadz of two original characters I made, but ok, I will try something with existing ones!
@Huw ,
There is nothing in the article that clearly requires those using digital entries to use bricks that are available in actual colors. I would take "Custom and non-LEGO components are not permitted" to mean that they're not, but I can see where others would interpret it differently.
One of the reasons for allowing digital entries is to allow the use of parts in colours that don't exist: after all that's what LEGO designers can do. So, yes, they are permitted.
^^^ Updated models are eligible.
" I'd appreciate having separate awards for digital and physical entries. " that's a great idea. Yes, we will do that. The prize pool is big enough.
I will update the rules to reflect these changes.
Yay! Finally a Brickheadz contest! I've been holding off on posting my Brickheadz MOCs ever since I've seen hints of one, so I can't wait to enter! Too bad I already posted my Woody and Buzz ones, but I have plenty more ideas.
I'm definitely going to participate in this competition! Usually the rule that digital models can't be submitted makes me unable to participate, but now I can! And that prize that 'money can't buy' interests me...
@Huw ,
Wow, that's cool to hear! We should get some interesting digital entries out of this then.
Do both digital entries and physical entries have a chance to win the 'money can't buy' prize or is that limited to physical entries?
@Okay
Can't wait to see what you're gonna post!!
^^ That depends if we can get them, and how many we can get. Otherwise there'll be a best overall from both categories.
I've had a message from a Brickiest member saying they can't see my Red Dwarf Brickheadz. Could someone let me know if they are visible, please, they were the first ones added to the pool. Thanks.
^ I'm not too familiar with Red Dwarf, however, all but one of the entries are obviously not Red Dwarf. If the entry entitled "Half-life Entry1" is not yours, then no, they are not visible.
^ Thanks. That's really weird as I can see them there. Has anyone had this happen before? Maybe I've uploaded them to my camera roll incorrectly?
Huw, I have a question. My Instagram is private. Would you be able to see my entry if I upload it onto there with the hashtag?
I am going to attempt building a "Calvin and Hobbs" Brickheadz duo for the contest :)
*sigh* Yet another awesome contest I can't enter.
Why can't entires be posted on sites like Mocpages?
Is it okay that I just made a temporary Flickr account for my entry? I don't really have much of a use for one right now, so it's attached to an email I never use without a real name on it. (It's the one of Star vs. the Forces of Evil)
Anyways I'm super happy that Digital builds are now open for entry! It makes the contest so much more accessible to people who can't afford to Bricklink or dismantle their collections, and adds so much variety to the entries.
@ggfile, love the idea! I wish I came up with that one myself!
@ZG Brickfilms, probably not
@LegoPegasister2015, yes
I've almost finished my brickheadz moc should be uploaded today
Can you enter more than once?
^Yes.
There are a few ideas that I have that would really benefit from printed elements so, in lieu of this being allowed, are we allowed to add graphics to our photographs?
@Huw Can you see my Red Dwarf models and, if not, do you have any suggestions on why?
^ Yes I can see them.
^^ Yes that will be OK.
@Huw Thanks, weird how some obviously can't. I wonder whether it's to do with being logged in (to Flickr).
I don't know if this is just me but I can't seem to find the piece 1X2X1 2/3 with knobs on LDD. I tried searching but nothing came up.
Just entered with two of my favorite cartoon characters! Great contest.
@lego maker homeboy
You'll find it in the extended version.
I don't have Instagram or Flickr.
Can I post it on my blog and then link it here?
Do Modulex bricks count as non-Lego parts? trying to use them for an accessory if I happen to enter.
Cool.
I don't know if I'll enter the contest, but I can definitely whip up a few Brickheadz for DeviantArt.
I am so doing this
@bgreeneidaho Are The Tick and Arthur yours? Excellent. Might have to do my own version (not for the competition).
Do I have to use Instagram or Flickr?
Could I use something else? 'Cause I don't have an account on either of those.
An issue I see with a lot of digital models is a non-adherence to real world colors. In the digital models, bricks can be made in any color, whether they are produced in that color in the real world or not. My question is, are digital builders allowed to use non-existing colors? If so, are physical bricks allowed to be painted/photoshoped?
^ Every color I use in my models comes from a file I found online that has all existing and retired colors.. so technically if people use any colors that aren't in the normal palette they're probably from that file so TECHNICALLY they are LEGO colors
@ CM4Sci
Thats not exactly the point I was trying to make, and please understand that I'm not arguing against using non-existent color variants in digital models, nor am I trying to single you or anyone else out:)
Using your Chell for example, you are using this part in brown: https://brickset.com/parts/6150607/1-4-circle-tile-1x1
This piece doesn't exist in brown. With that in mind, if this is okay, it would stand to reason that painting or photoshopping the color of real bricks is probably OK too.
But then this may be a moot point, seeing as how digital mocs and physical mocs won't be judged against each other in this competition.
LEGO's BrickHeadz designers can have parts made in new colours, so you, if submitting a virtual model, can too.
Is it allowed to use custom decals for some bricks in digital entries?
LOL is Hitler really in the spirit of the rules of this competition? Do we really want a Lego Hitler Brickheadz on our shelves?
Anyway, the Peter Pan & Hook entry is fantastic but Steve & Creeper is also great as are Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip and Rocket & Groot. Tough judging coming up.
@Huw: Can I send in my pictures some other way?
@ZeeBricks the answer is in the rules stated up above. Just create an account with either flickr or instagram, both are free.
@ huw - so you're saying anyone can photoshop a brick to be any color? Now that seems a bit.. like you're just letting anyone do anything - I'd limit some more - maybe only physical builds need to use existing colors
Can I build more than two brick heads or is that the maximum?
@Greendude Fortunately the majority of these BrickHeadz will not be released onto 'our shelves'; hence why I thought it would be appropriate to create a historical piece of work. :-D
The duo of Hitler and Churchill represents both sides of History (you can't have one without the other). If I get more time I may create more WWII BrickHeadz (or anything else that adheres to the rules outlined) as they're educational and purely fin to build, I hope you understand.
Can I enter my brickheadz as digital MOCs and later replace them with physical builds? I'm waiting on Bricklink orders to finish them with real bricks, and don't want to risk having someone else submit the same idea before I get a chance to.
^ You shouldn't worry about someone submitting the same idea as I am 100% sure that people will be doing the same character.
@Huw,
I have an entry that I want to submit, but the legs for one of the characters isn't the traditional Brickheadz style (in order to make it more accurate to the source). Is that allowed?
^ I think that so long as it doesn't increase two much over the standard height, it would be OK, just think of the official Belle
Are we allowed to make multiple entries?
Edit: Saw that the rules state that we can. Just finished my first set and I have to say that I'm pretty happy with them. They'll be entered soon.
I've just changed the privacy on mine that people who aren't members of the group can them.
I've added my Pulp Fiction models, but I doubt they're allowed as I've photoshopped a moustache on, as if it were a sticker/printed plate.
Got mine entered. They're the Minecraft ones. I'm in the process of making more (Brickheadz, not Minecraft Brickheadz).
Got my LOTR Brickheadz entered! I think the Pirates theme will come next...
I'm Gona make reverse flash and zoom next to add to my flash and Captian Cold
@Huw
Am i permitted to use my own custom printed parts?
I have a suicide squad joker i made, and it has his tattoos etc printed onto the LEGO parts.. its 100% LEGO parts still..
@Huw
Does a cigar constitute a reference to drugs?
One of my characters is known for them.
Is it Monica Lewinski...?
@Putters
HA. No. Someone who uses them in the desired manner.
Poor judges. It's going to be hard to choose a winner.
@ZeeBricks
More so for the rendered models, there are so many of them. Although I've got a feeling more real MOCs are about to start showing up as peoples Bricklink orders start showing up. Half of my orders are in, and I'm really hoping the rest come today so I can finish my MOCs.
@curtydc: Yes, there are quite a few rendered ones, mine included (though Stud.io has amazing render qualities) since I didn't have the money for extra parts.